Method of and apparatus for making mattress boxing strips



J. F. GAM. 2,062,359 METHOD OF AND PPARATUS FOR MAKING MATTRESKS BOXING STRIPS Dec. l, 1936.

16 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed sept. 21, 1931 fur. u... r

Dec. 1, 1936. J, F GAlL kV9-62,359

METHOD OF AND` APPARATUS FOR MAKING MATTRESS BOXING STRIPS Filed sept'. 21, 1931 16 sheets-sheet 2 J. F. GAlL Dec. 1, 1936.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING MATTRESS BOXING STRIPS Filed Sept. 2l. 1931 16 Sheets-Sheet 5 J. F. GAlL METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING MATTRESS. BOXING STRIPS 16 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 2l, 1951 i I \ylll/l//l// .wal/IM Dece 1, 1936.

Dec. l, l1936. .J F, GAlL I 2,062,359

lvl/IITI'OD OFAND APPARATUsiFoR MAKING MATTRESS BOXING` STRIPS Filed sept. 21. 1931,/ Ie'sngets-sneet 5 J. F. GAlL Dec. 1, 1936.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING MAT'TREASS BOXING STRIP-S Filed Sept. 21, 1931 16 Sheets-Sheet 6 J. F. GAlL Filed sept. 21. 1931 Dec. l, 1936.

METHGD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING MATTRESS BOXING STRIPS Dec. 1, 1936. 2,062,359

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING MATTRESS BOXING STRIPS l F. GAIL Filed sept. 21. 1931 16 sheets-sheet 8 NWN Q hN @QN www .MTN -,Unmmm b1 ||||H|...|I|II |II|| ||I|||I||II||| |||||||l||| l IIII-, NN.. Nv I W. NQN. @MN OLO NON MN NON, MN

J. F. GAlL 2,062,359

METHOD OFAND APPARATUS FOR MAKING MATTRESS BOXING STRIPS Dec. l, 1936.

16 sheets-sheetV 9 Filed sept. 21. 19:51

Dec. l, 1936. J. F. GAn.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING MATTRESS BOXING STRIPS Filled sept 21. 1931 J. F. lGA|| 4 2,062,359

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING MATTRESS- BOXING STRIPS Dec. l, 1936.

Filed Sept.` 21. 1951 16 Sheets-Sheet 11 Dec. l, 1936. .1. F. G'AlL 2,062,359

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING MATTRESS BOXING lSTRIPS I Filed sept'. 21, 1951 L 1e sheets-sheet 1'2 J.. F. GAIL Dn 1, 1936/.,rv

lIvIEITI'I'JDIOFAND APPARATUS FOR MAKING MATTRESS BOXING STRIPS .Filed sept. 21. 1931 16 Sheets-Sheet 13 Dam/1936.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING MATTRESS BOXING STRIPS Filed Sept. 2l. 1951 16 Sheets-Sheet 14 ,1 .Il Il o www@ 7. o g ..o

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J. F. GAM.

METHOD oPAND APPARATUS FOR MAKING MATTRESS BOXING STRIPS Filed Sept. 2l, 1931 16 Sheets-Sheet 15l Dec. 1, 1936. J, F GA|| l 2,062,359.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING MATTRESS BOXINGSTRIPS Filed sept. 21. 1931 lesheets-sneet 16v' Patented Dec. 1, `1936 PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOB, MAKING MATTRESS BOXING STRIPS John F. Gail, Evanston, Ill., assig'nor to Simmons Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application VSeptember 21, 1931, Serial o. 563,948l

19 claims.

This invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for making mattress boxing strips. Ihe apparatus disclosed in this application is de signed to co-operate with the mechanism disclosed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 307,450, for'patent on 'quilting machine to make mattress boxing strips of the kind disclosed in my co-pending application Serial No. 428,560.

The main object of. the present invention is to provide mechanism for automatically assembling and uniting the elements which form mattress boxing strips of the kind disclosed in my said co pending application Serial No. 428,560. Y

Other objects of the invention are to provide mechanism for the purpose set forth, which will be entirely automatic in its operation and which will not require the constant attention of an operator; to provide means for uniting a quilted boxing-strip element with another padding strip at points which intersect or substantially register with points or lines of quilting in the quilted element; to provide sewing mechanism for so uniting a quilted member and another member; to provide an arrangement whereby the quilted member may be accurately registered with the sewing mechanism so as to effect the -union of the members at said intersecting or registering points; to provide means for efficiently holding the Work during the operation of. the sewing ma- 'chine; to provide improved means for severing the sewing thread on the lbottom side of the work; to provide improved means for pulling the severed thread end upwardly through the work in preparation for a succeeding sewing operation; to provide automatic control-means for stopping operation of the thread-pulling and other mechanism in the event that the sewing machine fails to operate in its normal manner, yand to provide improved means for starting the operation ofthe sewing mechanism.

Still other objects of the invention are to provide means for marking the boxing strip produced by the mechanism at predetermined points to indica-te the proper location of certain devices, for instance, ventilators, in the length of a mat tress boxing-strip; to provide means for cutting the boxing strip produced by the mechanism into predetermined lengths upon delivery of such predetermined lengths from the machine, and to provide readily changeable means for controlling the marking and cutting devices, whereby the points of marking and length of vvstrip may be varied.

Further objects and advantages of the inven tion will "b'e understood by reference to the Iolnisms which are connected with the mechanism shown in my co-pending application, Serial No.

Fig.'2 is a side elevation of certain mechanism for feeding and preparing a padding strip which is to be assembled with the quilted boxing-strip produced by the mechanism of my said co-pending application, the latter mechanism being also shown in elevation in back of the padding-strip feeding and preparing mechanism referred to;

lFig. 3 is a plan of the padding-strip feeding and preparing mechanism shown in Fig. 2, the line 3 3 in Fig. 2 showing the location of .the mechlanism of. Fig. 3;'

'Figs 4, 5, and 6 are sections on the linesv 4 4, 5 5, and 6 6, respectively, of Fig. 3, the plan oi. the section of 5 5 being also shown by the line 5 5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7' is a section on the line 1 1 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9 9 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 10 is a plan section on the line l0 l0 or Fig. 1:

Fig. 11 is a section on the line Il ll of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a plan of a portion of a; mattress boxing-strip produced by the mechanism;

Fig. 13 is a section on the line I3 I3 of Fig. 1'1; Fig. 14 is a section on the line M M of. Fig. 10;

Fig. 15 is a section on the line I5 I5^of Fig. 13, the location of this section being similarly indicated on Fig. v10;

Fig. 16 is a section on the line lli-I6 of Fig. 10, this section being similarly indicated on Fig. ,11;

Fig. 17 is a development of a cam shown in Fis. 16:

Fig. 18 is an enlargement of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 23;

Figs. 25 and 26 are sections on the lines 25 25 and Z6-26, respectively, of Fig. A23;

Fig. 27 is a section on the line 21-21' of Fig. 10;

Fig. 28 is a section on the line 28-28 of Fig. 23;

Fig. 29 is a schematic view illustrating an electric control for the main drive of the mechanism;

Fig. 30 is a section on the line 88--80 of Fig. 10, the location of this section being similarly illustrated on Fig. 31;

Fig. 31 is a sectionV on the line 8I-3i of Fig. 10, the location of this section being .also similarly illustrated on Fig. 30;

Fig. 32 is a cross-section through a boxingmaterial strip such as is produced by the machine involved in this application, the' location of this section being indicated` by the line 32-32 oi' Fig. 33;

Fig. 33 is abottom plan of the boxing-strip shown in Fig. 32, the top plan thereof being shown in Fig. 12;

Fig. 34 is a section on' the lineM--Il of Figs. 32 and 33.

Fig. 35 is a section on the line 85-85 of Fig. 1; 3 Fig. 36 is a section on the line 36-36 of Fig.

Fig. 37 is a section on the line 31-31 of Figs. 35 and 38;

Fig. 38 is a section on the line 38-88 of Fig. 37;

Fig. 39 is a section on the line 3.-!! of Figs. 1 and 40; i

Fig. 40 is a section on the line 4.- of Fig. 39;

chine;

Fig. 43 is a section on the line 43-45 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 44and 45 are sections on the lines 44-44 and 45-45, respectively, of Fig. 43, and

Fig. 46 is an elevation of a changeable device for controlling the marking and boxing-strip cutting mechanism, referred to in the object statements.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1 andV 2, I will proceed rst with a brief description of the mechanism as a whole. As shown in Fig. 2, outer and inner strips of fabric, 58 and 5i, and a strip of padding material 52 are suitably supported in supply rolls from which the strips are fed forward in relative interposed relation, the padding strip 52 being interposed between the fabric strips 58 and 5l. The.

fabric strip 50 may be considered to be the outer strip and is preferably of suitable mattress ticking material. The superposed strips are advanced step by step between upper and lower feed rolls 53 and 54 and are suitably guided to stitching mechanism 55. The stitching mechanism 55 is moved transversely of the superposed strips to unite the same and the strips are fed by an intermittent or step-by-step movement. A quilted boxing strip member 56 is thus formed. AThe mechanism for feeding and uniting the strips 50, 5l, and 52 is described in detail in my copending application', Serial No. 307,450, to which `-reference may be had for a full description thereof. IHowever, for convenience in the present application, I will hereinafter describe the means for imparting stepby-step movement to the fabric strips and the padding strip and also the meansl for imparting transverse movement to the sewing machine.

Extending across the front. of the quilting mechanism shown in Fig. 2,` there is a conveyor Figs. 41 and 42 are perspectives of certain de-l tails of mechanism constituting part of the mathe said sewing mechanisms is shown at 60 in Fig. 1 and the other is indicated at 6i in Figs. 10 and 16. The sewing mechanisms 60 and 6i serve to tack ltlie folded padding strips 58 and 58 to the quilted boxing strip 56. The assembled and. united quilted strip 56 and folded padding strips 58 and 58 are fed forward by a step-bystep movement through thel agency of an endless conveyor 62. At predetermined intervals, a-

cutter is actuated to sever a predetermined length' of the completed boxing strip from the strip being produced by the mechanism. A marking device is actuated at predetermined intervals to mark the boxing strip to indicate the proper location of-ventilating devices which are to be incorporated in the boxing strip after the same is delivered from the mechanism herein concerned.

The 'structure of the boxing strip produced by the machine herein disclosed is illustrated in Figs. 32,A 33, and 34. By reference to said figures, it will be seen'that the outer and inner fabric 52 are united or quilted by-means of longitudinally spaced, transversely extending lines of stitching kend that the folded padding strips 58 and 59 are secured to the quilted strip by means of tacking stitches 56, which intersect or `strips`5li and 5i and' interposed padding strip substantially register with the vrespective lines of quilting 55. As clearly shown invFigs. 32, 33, and 34, areinforcing tape strip 81 is positioned against the irside of the respective folded padding strips so as'to effectively anchor the' tacking stitches 66 in the folded padding strips. -The reinforcing tapes 61 are supplied from. supply rolls such as shown'in Fig. 1, and are guided up- `wardly to a position under the assembled elements so as to be in proper place to be penetrated` by the tacking stitches which are produced by the sewing machines 60 and 6i.

Detailed description The-mechanism illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 is mounted on a base member 18 and suitable main frame elements which are mounted on-the said base. A main driving shaft or cam shaft 'il is rotatably supported in. suitable bearings formed in certain of the main frame members, this shaft being continuously rotated by means of a worm or worm-wheel driving mechanism 12. The worm-wheel 13 ofv said driving mechanism is iixedly mountedon the shaft Hand the worm il of said driving mechanism is carried by a shaft 'i5 which is driven through the agency of a pulley 16 and driving'belt 11. Thebelt 11 receives its driving movement from a main power shaft 18 (see Fig. 29) on which is mounted a pulley 80 for driving the belt. Rotation of the pulley is controlled by suitable clutch mechanism 8|, which may be manually controlled by means of iA l1 whichregeives apair of `padding strips 58 and 'salland-lever 8 2 and which is automatically con- 75' trolled for a purpose and by mechanism which will be presently explained.

Referring now to Figs. 'I and 8, step-by-step rotation is imparted to the feed rolls 53 and 54 of the quilting mechanism by pawl and ratchet mechanism and cam-actuating mechanism.- The feed roller 53 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 83 which is xedly mounted in a suitable boss in the main frame element 84. A sprocket member 85 is also rotatably mounted on the shaft, 83 and is engaged by a chain 86, the -ends of which are secured to a pair of actuated levers 81 and 88, respectively. The levers 81 and 88 are controlled by cams 89 and 90, respectively, as clearly shown in Fig. '1, these cams being so shaped as to impart downward movement to one of the levers while permitting corresponding upward movement of the other lever. This mechanism is operative to oscillate the sprocket 85 on the shaft 83. A gear 9| and a peripherally notched driving disk 92 are secured to the feed roll 53. The peripherally notched driving disk 92 is acted upon by a pawl 93 which is carried by a bracket 94 secured to the sprocket 85. A pair of pawls 95 and 96 which are pivotally mounted on an extension 91 of the main frame 84 engage the notches of the driving disk 92 to hold the disk against accidental rotation, a fiat spring 98 being provided for normally holding the pawls 95 and 96 in operative engagement with the driving disk 92. The sprocket 85 is provided with a cam lug 99 which acts upon a roller carried by the pawl 95 to hold the same outof one of the notches of the driving -disk 92 when the sprocket is rotated in driving direction, as indicated by the arrow |00 in Fig.'8. It will be understood that the pawl 95 is raised out of the notch in the driving disk upon the rearward movement of the sprocket 85 and that it is temporarily held out of engagement therewith until the disk has been moved a suilicient distance to prevent return of the pawl into the same notch. The pawls 93 and 96 are automatically displaced from one of the notches by reason of their curved cam surfaces |0| which are enpreparation for a succeeding feeding movement.'

The lower feed roll 54 is rotated simultaneously with rotation of the upper feed roll 53 by means of a gear |02 which is carried by the'lower feedroll and which meshes with the gear 9| of the upper feed roll.

The padding-strip conveyor 51 is preferably of the endless belt type and includes an endless belt |03 which passes around pulleys |04 and |05, the pulley |04 being rotatably mounted in suitable brackets, such as |06, vwhich are longitudinally adjustably mounted on the support or frame-v work |01 of the conveyor. As shown in'Figures 4, 5, and 6, the supporting frame-work consists mainly of a pair of horizontally spaced, inwardly facing, channel iron members which are suitably secured together., The pulley |05 is rotatably mounted in suitable brackets carried by the arms |08 'which are secured to and carried by av main frame member |09.'..As shown in Figures 1 and 2, .the main frame |01 of the conveyor is secured at its'iipper end to the arm portion |00 and at its lower end, by means of brackets such asI shown at I0, to a supporting post I The conveyor be1t|03 is advanced in a stepby-step movement by means of a driving connection with the lower feed roll -54. As shown in Figures 2, 7, and 8, 'a sprocket ||2 is secured to the lower feed roll 54, and an endless chain ||3 extends around the sprocket I2 and around another sprocket ||4 which is secured' to a shaft ||5, rotatably mounted in suitablebearings provided in the conveyor frame |01. vAt the front end of the shaft |`|5', there is provided a sprocket |6 and an endless chain |1 extends around-the said sprocket 6 and around a. vsprocket ||8` which is secured tothe shaft ||9 which carries the upper conveyor roll |05. Thus, it will be seen that the conveyor belt |03 is advanced step Aby step simultaneously with the feed movements of the rolls 53 and 54.

The conveyor belt |03 is adapted to receive andpropel in substantially co-planar but transversely spaced relation to each other, the padding strips 58 and 59 which are drawn from supply rolls suitably supported by a bracket on the'post By vreference to Fig. 4 it will be seen that the padding strips 58 and 59 are comparatively wide but thin webs of material, approximately at |23, which may be formed independently or.

as partsof other elements' which are supported by the frame |01 o f. the conveyor.

Near the receiving end of the conveyor |03, there is provided a pair of tapered creasing rolls |24-'|24 which are rotatably mounted on suitable brackets |25|25 which are pivotally carried as shown in Fig. 5 by suitable brackets mounted on the conveyor frame |01. The padding strips 58 and 59 are fed beneath the respective rolls |24v as shown in Fig. 5 and are independently more or less creased longitudinally approximately midway between their side'edges. A funnel-like folding device |26 is provided'- for each of the padding strips 58 and 59 immediately in back of the respective ro1ls'|24-|24. These folding devices serve to fold the outer portion of the respective padding strips over upon their respective inner portions, so that the padding strips assume the doubled or folded condition illustrated in Fig. 6. It will, of course, be understood that the folding action of the folding devices |26 is incidental to the feed movement of the padding strips through the saidl folding devices.

It is desired to deliver the padding strips 58 and 59 in the folded condition Just described to a position beneath the respective marginal portions of the quilted boxing-strip 56, and in order to maintain the padding strips 58 and 59 in such folded condition, retainers |21-|21 are provided (see Fig. 6). The retainers |21|2 1 are preferably hingedly connected to supporting members which are secured to the conveyor frame-|01, as clearly shown in Fig. 6, and releasable means are provided for holding the retainers |21|21 in operative position as illustrated. The releasable holding means for each conveyor is designated at |28 and each includes -a rod which is slidably mounted in the conveyor frame and provided at one end with a bracket such as |29, which is secured intermediate its ends to the rod with which it is associated and provided with ends respectively engaging the retaining member |21 and frame |01 of the conveyor. A spring |30 disposed around the rod |28 and compressed between a collar, such as |3I, and the adjacent frame member, serves to normally and yieldingly hold the bracket member |29 in position to maintain the retaining member |21 in operative position. It will, of course, be understood that the respective rods |28 are urged in opposite directions so as to be operative to hold the respective retainers |21-|21 in said operative position. When it is desired to gain access to the path of travel of one of the folded padding strips 58 or 59, the proper holding rod |28 is' moved against the pressure of the spring |30 to release the bracket |29 from its operative holding position, whereupon the retaining member |21 may be folded back out of the way. Thus, access may be had to the conveyor belt |03 which is supported intermediate its end rolls'by means` of a supporting plate |3| which extends across the space between they supporting frame members |01. As shown in Fig. 2, the spacing tube |22 terminates a short distance beyond the end of the folders |25. butit will be understood that if desired, this spacing member maybe continued for substantially the full length of the conveyor for preventing the folded padding s trips from working to- `wards each other and out from under the fold retainers |21-I21.

The relation of the conveyor 51 to the quilting machine mechanism is shown in Fig. 9 wherein the sewing machine 55 and the means for moving the same transversely across the assembled strips 50, 5| and 52 are shown. As'indicated, the. sewing machine head 55 is mounted for sliding movement in ways carried by the main frame member |32. ATransverse sliding movement of the sewing machine head is eifected by means of suitable cams |33 and |34, carried by the cam shaft 1| and acting upon rollers carried by a pivoted cam follower |35, the upper end of which is connected by means of a link |35 to a lever |31. The lever |31 is pivoted at its lower end to a bracket carmachine 55.

The mechanism for uniting the folded padding strips to the quilted boxing member Referring now particularly to Figs. 10, 11 and 16, it will be seen that there is a supporting plate,

|40 which extends longitudinally of the mechanism. The plate |40 is supported adjacent one end by being seated on the bed plate portions of the sewing machines 60 and,8|, as clearly shown vin Figs. 16 and 31. Adjacent its delivery end (the left-hand end in Fig. 11), the plate |40 is provided with a tubular discharge portion |4|, which is integrally formed or otherwise rigidly connected to the plate |40, the said discharge end being supported by means of rods |42-I42 which extend upwardly from the said discharge end to a supporting frame portion |43, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 35. A receiving plate |44 is disspective arms |55.

The quilting strip which is produced by the mechanism shown ln Fig. 2 is passed between upper and lower feed rolls |41 and |48, respectively, which serve to guide and assist the feeding movement of the quilted strip to the receiving support |44.

The feed rolls |41 and |48 are geared together bymeans of intermeshing gears |49 and |50, as clearly shown in Fig. 15, so that these rollers are simultaneously rotated in opposite directions. Step-by-step feed movement is imparted to these rollers to correspond to the step-by-step movement of the quilted boxing-strip as produced in the quilting mechanism and to conform to the step-by-step movement of -the folded padding strip on the conveyor 51. Such .step-by-step movement is imparted to the rollers |41 and |48 by means of a chain driving connection with the conveyor pulley |05, as is clearly shown in Fig. 14.

and servesto guide'the upper reach of the chain |5| through a path of travel below the tie rod |48. Another-sprocket |53 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 'or stud carried by a bracket |54 which is adjustably mounted on the frame |01 of the conveyor 51. The sprocket |53 constitutes a slack take-up for the chain |5|, it being obviousthat such function is permitted by reason of the adjustable mounting of the supporting bracket |54.

The need for such a take-up is fou'nd particularly for the reason that the feed rolls |41 and |48 "are mounted in bearings carried .by arms |55- |55 which are pivotally mounted on the adjacer side-frame members |08, as indicated at |56.- The arms |55-|55 are normally locked in the desired position of adjustment by means of clamping screws |51, as will be vreadily understood by examination of Fig. 14.

As clearly shown in Fig. 15, the lower feed roll is rotatably mounted in xed bearings in the respective arms |55 while the upper feed roll is vertically adjustably mounted in bearing boxes .|58 which are vertically adjustably supported in guides constituting an integral part of the re- Springs,`such as shownI at |59, interposed between the respective bearing boxes |58 and overlying portion or cap of the guides, serve'to normally yieldingly urge the roller |41-toward the roller |48. The roller |48 is provided with a central portion of reduced diameter as clearly shown in Fig. 15, to receive the padded portion of thequilting strip while the projecting hemmed edge portions of the outer fabric strip 50 of the quilted member pass between the enlarged end portions of the lower feed roll |48 andthe upper feed roll |41. By

reason of the clamping effect of the rolls |41 and |48 on the projecting hemmed edge portions of the outer fabric member just referred to, the

rolls |41 and I 48 are highly effective to impart advancing movement to the quilted boxing member. For facilitating the initial introduction ofthe quilted boxing -member between the rolls |41 and |48, a bail member |60 having forked end members IGI co-operating with projecting portions of the bearing boxes |58 `is provided. Ob-

. viously by swinging the bail |60 in the proper-direction, the upper; roll 41 will be raised yagainst the compression of the spring |59 to space the 

